Betrayal
by XJayjayxShadowfireX
Summary: Three-quel to Deceit! Holly goes MIA while she is topside. Who is responsible? Mudman or fairy? Trouble, Artemis, and my OC, Sam are going to find out.Oh, and Fang. We can't forget about Fang!
1. Christmas with the Fowls

**A/N: Hi guys. I know that I told some of you guys that this would be up earlier, but I had complications… by complications, I mean that the rest of my family kept kicking me off of the computer because I wasn't playing World of Warcraft. They seem to think that typing my story isn't important. **

**I am also in a bad mood. My MP3 player fell out of my pocket while I was running and landed on the wet ground, so it doesn't work. I am cut off from Green Day. **Cries** In result, Artemis will be tortured in this chapter. A lot… It takes place on Christmas morning…**

**Shadowfire: Hey, wait! You forgot about me!**

**Me: oh yeah… My friend (Shadowfire) wanted me to make an OC modeled after her, but there aren't going to be any more female OC's in this story, so she asked if she could be my Co. author. I said yes…**

**SF (Shadowfire): That's right.**

**Me: So she will start appearing in the Author's notes. Oh, and here is a warning. SF is insane, so-**

**SF: I am not insane!**

**Me: Sure, sure. Whatever you say… Anyway, SF, say the disclaimer.**

**SF: **Is listening to music while sipping Coke****

**Me: SF?**

**SF: …**

**Me: Shadowfire! Say the disclaimer!**

**SF: **Sends me a nasty look** Fine, fine! Disclaimer: We don't own anything that Eoin Colfer created and I came up with the plot, not her. **Sticks tongue out at me****

**Me: Curse you…**

"Not a chance," Artemis said, backing away from me. "I am not wearing that. Remember, my relatives are coming."  
I walked closer to him, holding up the tie I'd found in the back of his abyssal closet. It was red with occasional green polka dots on it. There was a picture of Frosty the Snowman waving his hat up in the air in the middle of it. And, if you pressed a particularly large polka dot at the bottom, all of the green dots glowed a neon-green as it sang 'Joy to the World'. Obviously, Artemis thought it was childish and stupid. "Please! It would complement your hat!" I said, pointing at the green-and-white Santa hat I'd also made him wear.

"Sam, that tie is revolting. Especially when it _sings._" Artemis scowled at it as if it were trash.

"If you dislike it, then why did you buy it?" I asked, taking another step closer to him.

"It was a gift from my Aunt Angelica. Do you really think that I would but that?" Artemis took another step back, bumping into the wall. He was trapped.

I grinned evilly and took another step. I was practically standing on him. There was no escape this time.

"Didn't you say that all of your aunts were coming? If so, you should wear it. Just to be courteous." I lifted the tie closer to his neck, but he grabbed my hands, stopping me from tying it.

"You already made me wear this ridiculous hat. Isn't that enough?" His eyes were pleading.

I rolled my eyes. He was trying to sweet talk me again. I had been trying to get this damn tie on his for at least twenty minutes, and every time I get him trapped, he distracts me by flirting. It wasn't going to work this time.

"No." I tried to break free of his grip, but it was like iron.

"You do not see me trying to dress you, do you, Sam?" He was glaring at the tie again.

I looked away, and my eyes caught the clock. I took in a quick breath. "Artemis! Look at the time! It's 7:50!" I dashed out the door, leaving the horrid tie on Artemis' floor. Angeline had told us to be down for breakfast with her sisters by eight.

I rushed into my room and slammed the door, locking it behind me. I then grabbed a black shirt and matching black pants. They were all I could see immediately that were clean and matched. I threw them on and ran a brush through my hair.

Looking in the mirror, I noticed that the shirt I'd thought to be blank read _Bite Me_ in huge, bloody-looking crimson letters. I figured that it would have to do and ran down the stairs to the living room.

Artemis was surrounded by three husky women who didn't resemble Angeline much at all. They all had red hair and bodies that were shaped like an apple, whereas Angeline had jet black hair and was shaped more like a banana. Speaking of bananas, I remembered that I hadn't put on any sunscreen yet. I took the tube out of my pocket and walked out of sight to apply it.

"Sam!" Angeline called. "Come down for breakfast!"

I walked back down the stairs to see that the three women were staring in my general direction. I smiled self-consciously and walked over to stand by Artemis.

One of the women noticed this. "Oh! Arty, is she your girlfriend?"

"No," Artemis was looking at the floor. "I do not have a girlfriend."

I nodded as he lied, going along with it. Artemis and I had decided that no one needed to knoe about us.

"Well, then," said Angeline. "This is Angel."

Angeline waved her hand at the woman that had asked about Artemis and me.

"This is Angelica," Angeline waved to the plumpest woman. Angelica was the one that had given Artemis the tie. I grinned at her.

"And, last, this is Angelina." Angelina waved at a woman that was glaring at me.

"Hello, everyone," I mumbled, looking down. I usually wasn't this nervous, but these women were very nerve-wrecking.

The one named Angelina snorted. "She is _American._"

She spat out the word 'American' as if it was a bad thing.

"Yes, I am from New York," I smiled, trying to hide the fact that I wanted to bite this 'Angelina's' head of.

"Don't mind her, Sam," said Angelica. "She is just angry because her husband is trying to get a divorce."

Angeline gasped. "Rick?"

Angelina nodded and scowled at the floor in hatred.

"I'm sorry, Angelina. I can't believe that none of us saw this coming." Angeline sounded sincere.

There was a long silence.

"So… when do we eat?" Asked Mr. Fowl, speaking for the first time.

--

"I'm not hungry," I said to Angelica for the seventh time.

"But you should really eat something. This omelet is delicious!" Angelica took a huge bite of her omelet to prove how delicious it was.

"I like to eat… out." I said, looking into my lap. Artemis squeezed my hand from under the table.

"Oh, give it up, Angelica. Sam never eats anything, even when she cooks it." Angeline said.

"That would explain why she is so skinny," said Angelina. "Are you anorexic, child?"

"No," I mumbled. "I just prefer… other types of food… and drink."

Artemis squeezed my hand again. I was revealing too much information.

There was more silence.

"Is everyone finished?" asked Mr. Fowl.

Everyone nodded.

"Alright, then le-"Angeline started.

She was cut off by the sharp ring of Artemis' fairy phone. Artemis and I exchanged glances.

We both stood up and walked up the stairs to Artemis' room.

Artemis pressed the 'answer' button and a horrified Trouble appeared on the screen.

"Holly is missing!" He exclaimed.

**A/N: **

**Me: Cliffie!**

**SF: **Laughs maniacally****

**Me: **Scoots away from SF** We will update tomorrow. Bye, all!**

**SF: Before we go, I have to say something…**

**Me: Oh great…**

**SF: Shuddup! **

**Me: **booger laugh****

**SF: I am not really this insane. So, don't run when you hear the name 'Shadowfire', okay? Bye, guys.**


	2. MIA

**A/N: It's just me today. SF and I just got home from band practice and my head hurts. I don't feel like calling her. Sorry, SF if you are reading this, but I will try to remember what we discussed at school earlier.**

**Sorry about the cliffie, BTW. I just couldn't resist…**

I hadn't been expecting this. Both of us hadn't, actually. I could tell by the way Artemis was frozen in shock.

Trouble looked as if it were the end of the world… which it could be if the right person got a hold of Holly, but that most likely wasn't his main concern. I thought back to when Diva, his cohorts, and I had walked in on them when they were sucking face in the back of a shuttle.

Trouble looked at us expectantly, as if he had wanted us to start freaking out. We were- well, I was- but not externally.

"Why aren't you guys saying anything? One of my best fr- officers has been reported MIA and all you two can do is gape?" Trouble yelled, sounding slightly insane. "What the hell is wrong with this picture?!"

I turned away from him to hide my grin. He was quite amusing when he was angry….

"Do we have any leads as to where she has been taken?" Asked Artemis.

Trouble looked down. "No, not really. Unless you count this note."

He held out a sheet of paper covered in blood red ink.

"Read it, please," I suggested as politely as possible.

Trouble cleared his throat and read:

_Friends of Captain Holly Short of the LEP: I have taken your beloved Elf to India. You will have to guess the exact location from the clues provided. Good luck, my associates._

_Clues: _

_Large mountains_

_Cold, obviously_

_Rivers and lakes_

_Valley of Dun_

_That should be plenty of clues. Hurry up- we don't want little Holly having any accidents, now would we?_

"Opal!" I screamed. "I am going to kill her. I will thrust a rusty knife into her small, black heart! I will-"

"Sam, I know it seems likely, but it may not be Opal," Artemis put his hand on my shoulder. "There are other people that hate Holly."

"It is Opal," I said, quieter this time, so as not to disturb anyone downstairs. "I'd recognize one of her plans from a mile away."

"So, Artemis, Sam, when is a good time to leave?" Asked Trouble anxiously. "Soon?"

Artemis and I exchanged glances. Soon might not work, what with family over. We still had to unwrap the gifts and whatever else people do on Christmas.

"Well, we have guests right now. Can we leave tomorrow? I think that they are supposed to be leaving tomorrow." I said.

"No," Artemis added. "We can get out of this easily, but it would break Mother's heart…"

Artemis put on his thinking face and walked away from me and his phone.

"I guess we will call you later and tell you when we can leave." I said, almost asking it.

"Alright," mumbled Trouble, obviously forlorn.

I hung up the fairy phone and went over to Artemis. "What are you thinking?"

"I am thinking that Holly is somewhere in the Himalayas, and that we are going to find her. But first, we must escape this house." Artemis was grinning deviously.

This was going to be interesting….

**A/N: Sorry that this was so short. I really didn't want to do anything major without SF. My mom is rushing me off of the computer again… so, bye! I will not be updating tomorrow… I have a band concert!!!! Oh, and so does SF….**


	3. Untitled Chapter

**A/N: **

**SF: I'm baaaAaaaack…**

**Me: **clears throat** Yes… er… what now, SF?**

**SF: Disclaimer?**

**Me: No. There was something I wanted to say. You were supposed to remind me.**

**SF: Shadowfire is the bestest friend ever!**

**Me: **Glares at SF****

**SF: It was something about the chapter?**

**Me: YES! Minerva is going to be in this one. I am sorry all of you Minerva-hating readers, but she is vital to the story.**

**SF: Disclaimer: she/we don't own Artemis Fowl. (I came up with the plot, so she doesn't own that either.)**

**Me: She will never get over that…**

Several hours later, I had just gotten home from hunting, but I still went to Artemis's room. We discussed many things. Mostly things that didn't involve Holly or the fairies.

"Artemis," I said, just as he was about to go get ready for bed at about three o'clock. "We should call Trouble back. I mean, we can't just avoid it. If we don't get there soon, then-"

"Okay. But let's do it tomorrow. Trouble is probably asleep." Artemis's reply was groggy with fatigue.

"Do you really think that Trouble will be getting a wink of sleep when Holly's life is in danger?" I smirked at him.

"What do you mean?" Artemis looked genuinely confused.

"I swear, you are blind to emotions," I rolled my eyes at him. "Holly and Trouble are hopelessly in love. You've never noticed?"

Artemis shook his head.

I sprawled out on his bed and mumbled, "Oh, by the way. Merry Christmas."

"You, too," he whispered back, sounding uncomfortable.

There was silence for a moment.

"Sam, I think we might need some back up" Artemis said.

"Back up? We have Trouble." I didn't know what he was talking about.

"We are going to need more brains. I have a feeling that our opponent is very smart." Artemis wouldn't meet my eyes.

"What are you getting at?" I asked.

Artemis mumbled something inaudible.

"What?"

"I said 'I know the perfect person to help us. Her name is Minerva Paradizo. I met here four years ago, during one of my little adventures with Holly." Artemis still wouldn't look at me. "For a while, we were… a couple, I guess. She lives in France **(Correct?) **with her brother and her parents. She is a genius, she knows about the fairies, and I think she will be a lot of help if we are facing this kind of danger."

"Wait, you dated a French chick?" I was grinning.

Artemis rolled his eyes. "Sam, that's not the point. Do you think that she would be of some help?"

"Well, yes. But I hate being surrounded my smart people. Opal was alright, though, because she was my mentor. You… well, you intimidate me sometimes, but this 'Minerva' girl…" I shuddered.

"She is only a little older than me, maybe a few months," Artemis said. Obviously, he really wanted this Minerva to come with us.

"It's not really up to me. Ask Trouble." I said.

Artemis shrugged and pushed a few buttons on his phone.

"Artemis?" Trouble sounded nervous. "Can you come?"

"I don't know. We'll need to make up an excuse and see if my parents go for it."

Just then, a fuzzy, black creature ran through the slightly opened door to Artemis's room. Fang. He came and went as he pleased, wandering around the house. Angeline seemed perfectly fine with the dog, even thrilled. One night, I even over heard Artemis and Angeline talking about how I was improving Artemis's lifestyle. Like, before I had come along, he would have been disgusted by the very idea of having a dog.

I kneeled down and patted Fang on the head. "Can Fang come, too?"

"What is a 'Fang'?" Asked Trouble.

"Remember that little black dog that we brought with us when Artemis was cured?" I asked. "well, that is Fang."

Trouble nodded.

"We need a good excuse," Artemis interjected, before we could continue our conversation about Fang.

"Sleep on it," I suggested. I knew that Artemis was just as tired as I was.

There was silence as Artemis considered this.

"I guess that sleeping is a good Idea. We will have an eventful day tomorrow." Trouble said. With that he hung up. No 'good-bye' or 'merry Christmas'.

"I guess he really wants us to sleep," I noted.

"Good night," Artemis mumbled, making for his bed.

"'Night, Artemis."

I went to my room and didn't even bother to change. I just went to sleep in my _Bite me _shirt and black jeans.

**A/N:**

**Me: Review!!!**

**SF: Please?**

**Me: REVIEW!!!**

**SF: PLEASE?!**

**Me: RE-VIEW!**

**SF: Now!**

**Me: wow… I'm bored.**

**SF: review if you liked this chapter. We need to know your response.**

**Me: I had a science test today. I think I failed it.**

**SF: …**

**Me: Bye, all. REMEMBER TO REVIEW OR I WILL SIC BUTLER ON YOU! Have a nice day. [=**


	4. I get an Idea

**A/N: **

**Me: I'm sick. SF gave some kind of crap that is taking my voice away.**

**SF: **Chuckles****

**Me: **Glares daggers** I think I failed my history test, too… But it's all good because I started a new book.**

**SF: Whaaaateverrrr. Where did we leave off? I forgot.**

**Me: Sam went to bed in her 'Bite me' shirt. I love that. It would look so awesome on a vampire.**

**SF: She's, like, obsessed with vampires… and Artemis Fowl. **

**Me: Guilty.**

**SF: At least she'll admit it. **Grins****

**Me: Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl… or SF's plot.**

I woke up early in the morning with the perfect get-away excuse. I was surprised that Artemis hadn't thought it up, it was so brilliant. We were going to see Minerva. Perfect, eh? It wasn't lying, but it wasn't the complete truth, either. I walked to Artemis's room immediately, without even changing. I was a little surprised to find him on his computer. It was only five o'clock in the morning.

"Artemis?" I whispered as I closed his door. "Have you been up all night?"

He turned off his computer monitor, as he always did when someone entered his room, and spun around in his chair so he was facing me. "Not all night. I did get a few hours' sleep."

"You must be exhausted," I whispered. I heard something I the hall and silently dashed over to Artemis's closet. If I was caught in Artemis's room, his parents would think I had slept in here and they would kick me out.

There was a scratching noise on the door. It sounded like… claws? Artemis got up as I shut his closet door and unlocked the door that led into the hallway.

I heard a sharp intake of breath. The door closed and was locked. I heard Artemis and someone else walk over towards me. I held my breath and prayed that it wasn't one of Artemis's relatives or one of his parents.

The closet door was opened. Standing before me was Artemis and Trouble.

"God! Trouble, don't do that! You scared me half to death. It thought you were one of Artemis's parents. Why are you here? How long have you been here? Why didn't you let us know you were coming?" I took a deep breath. "Stupid oxygen… tell me!"

Both males were staring at me.

"What?" Trouble managed.

"Why are you here? Didn't we tell you that we had to make up an excuse before we left?" I asked again. "Oh, by the way… I came up with a defensible excuse."

"What is it?" Asked Trouble, completely ignoring my question(s).

"We are going to go see Minerva, just to wish her happy holidays," I said triumphantly.

Trouble nodded his approval. Artemis was just as unemotional as always.

"Well, Artemis. Do you think it will work? You're the genius." Trouble looked up at Artemis. (Way up)

Artemis shrugged. "I guess. I haven't ever used that one before."

"So, Trouble. Why are you here so early?" I asked, once again.

"I got anxious…" He didn't meet my eyes.

"Don't worry, Trouble. We'll get her back. Especially if this 'Minerva' is as brilliant as Artemis says." I spat out the name 'Minerva' accidentally, making it sound as if I loathed her… which I didn't.

"I hope," Trouble mumbled, almost inaudibly. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor elf. He had just lost his best friend, best officer, and girlfriend all in one day.

I looked at Artemis, and if I wasn't mistaken, there was a bit of sorrow in his normally blank eyes.

"Are you tired, hungry, anything? I was just about to make breakfast, Trouble." I said.

"No thanks. I haven't been able to even think about resting or eating since Holly went MIA." Trouble replied.

"Oh, come on, Trouble. You have to work up you energy if you're going to be fighting Opal." I kneeled down and nudged him in his arm.

"Sam," Artemis said. "I don't think it is Opal. I think it is someone way more potent and clever. I could almost believe it was me."

I rolled my eyes. "It has to be Opal. That letter was just evil enough to be written by her. Only she would have a reason to kidnap Holly. This is just_ SCREAMING_ Opal."

"I think it could be anyone. Holly fights villains on a daily basis. Any of them that managed to escape could have done it." Trouble said. "Hey, it could have even been Ark Sool. He hates her."

"Who the hell is Ark Sool?" I asked.

"The old commander. He took charge when Root was murdered." Trouble looked at the floor.

"Who murdered him?" I asked.

There was long pause.

"Opal Koboi," Artemis said.

It took all of my energy not to jump out of Artemis's window, hunt Opal down, and kill her. A cruel, bloody death.

"How many lives has she taken, how many people has she tortured?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"Too many to mention," Artemis whispered.

That was it. Next time I ran into Opal Koboi, I would kill her. No question about it.

**A/N: **

**Me: SF is busy reading me poetry, so I am alone on this Author's note. I have nothing to say. Bye. Remember to review. I still have Butler ready… **Grins****


	5. I hate Minerva

***Chapter five redone***

**[Sam]**

Artemis, Trouble, and I stood on a small hill overlooking Chateau Paradizo. I held Fang tight in my arms as Artemis told us about how he'd had his first phone conversation with Minerva on this very hill. It sickened me the way he talked about her.

"I'm going to shield. I'll be right behind you, though." Trouble said.

I nodded and followed Artemis to the door. He rang the bell and waited. Not twenty seconds later, a model-worthy blond-haired goddess opened the door.

Her face enlightened as she saw Artemis. She opened the door wider, stepped out and hugged him tightly. "Artemis!" she yelled. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Hello, Minerva," Artemis said.

"Come on in, everyone!" Minerva said. "Oh, Artemis! I've missed you _so_ much!"

I was still getting over the fact that she had _hugged _him when she led us into a large room. The room had four couches that surrounded a huge coffee table and a bunch of paintings of overweight adults. That was pretty much it.

Minerva sat on one of the couches and patted the seat next to her. "Come here, Artemis! Sit down!"

Artemis did as he was told and Minerva seemed to notice me for the first time as I followed behind him.

"Artemis? Is she your _girlfriend_?" Minerva sounded disgusted, outraged, and betrayed.

I answered the question. "No. I hate males." Of course, this was a lie. I enjoyed having men around… as long as they weren't sexist hogs.

"Oh…" Minerva was surprised. "Well, what is your name?"

"Sam," I said quietly. I didn't like this Minerva character. She seemed suspicious…

"What is the dog's name?"

"Sam."

Artemis shot me a look that told me not to lie to her.

I rolled my eyes. "His name is Fang."

"That's an… interesting name." Minerva eyed Fang. "you can put him down if you want… is he's trained."

Fang was trained well enough, but I held him tight.

"So… Artemis, Sam. Why did you come here today?" Minerva asked, not looking at me. I had a feeling she still believed that Artemis and I were together.

"We came here with a plea for assistance." Artemis said. "Holly has gone missing in action. Someone kidnapped her and left us a note telling us that they took her to the Himalayas."

"Why would you need me for that?" Minerva screwed her nose.

"If the note was just a trap, we might need your backing to help us uncover more clues." Artemis said.

I glanced behind me to look for Trouble. Sure enough, there was a shimmer in the air.

"Well, Minerva? Will you help us?" Artemis asked.

"Of course, Artemis! I would love to help you!" Minerva said. "Wait… is Holly your girlfriend?"

"Mhm," I answered for him sarcastically. "Artemis is dating a three-foot-tall fairy that is a couple hundred years older than him. His parents would _love _that."

Artemis shot me another look. "No, Minerva. I am not dating anyone."

"Good," she whispered into his ear.

I was suddenly filled with jealousy and ire. Stupid Minerva. Stupid Artemis. Stupid world. I had always thought that love was a _human _weakness! Weren't vampires supposed to be cold and heartless? It must not be true, because I sure felt something in my motionless heart. Pain… torture… rage… covetousness…. I wanted to kill Minerva Paradizo.

"Tell your parents that I will be taking you to India for a short vacation and that we will be back in a very short time." Artemis said.

"My parents are on a cruise right now. They left Beau and me with a nanny. I'll just tell her, just in case my parents call… which they won't." Minerva got up and wandered out of the room.

After she was out of hearing range, I rushed over to Artemis and said, "Artemis, I can't take this much longer! That girl is draping all over you… it's making me sick!"

"You are jealous," said Artemis, sounding bemused.

I wiped my hand across my eyes. "Yeah, I know. I can't help it."

Artemis grabbed my face in his hands. "Calm down, Sam. You have nothing to worry about." Just to prove his point, he pulled me closer and kissed me lightly.

There was a noise by the door. I hurriedly gathered Fang back in my arms and stepped away from Artemis. Minerva would notice if we were so close.

The aforementioned she-witch came through the door saying, "Alright! We can go now!"

I nodded and followed her and Artemis back outside. Unfortunately, when we got out there, I noticed that Minerva had grabbed Artemis's hand. He wasn't even trying to pull away. Maybe he knew that it would be in vain, or that it might reveal us to her. The ire and jealousy came back, anyway. The reassurance that Artemis's kiss had given me was now gone. This trip was going to be like hell…

**A/N: Please, please, please tell me that this was better that the original!? This is the third time I've had to type it up, because I am on the bad computer and it keeps erasing it! Bye!**


	6. TAKE THIS!

***I have redone chapter five! Please read it! It is completely different from the original!***


	7. The birds and the bees

**A/N:**

**Me: What is this, chapter six?**

**SF: I think…**

**Me: In that case, the thing probably says this is chapter seven… but it isn't. I guess I kind of messed it up…**

**SF: Yup. It's your fault… Ha ha.**

**Me: Shut up, SF. Let us move on to the chapter. Chapter SIX! **

**[Chapter six]**

The ride to India was long, awkward, outraging, and frustrating. It was also quite boring until I lost my cool and yelled at Minerva to get her foot out of Artemis's ass. She pouted for a long time after that.

Finally, though I thought that it would never end, we landed on one of the smaller mountains in the Himalayan mountain range. We all piled out, including Trouble, who had given Minerva quite a scare when he'd unshielded in the craft back in France.

She'd said something in French that probably meant 'Holy shit' or something along those lines by the look on Artemis's face.

"They pointed out the Dun Valley, so I suggest we go there first." Artemis said. We all agreed.

"But where is the Dun Valley?" I asked.

"On a map," Artemis replied. "Let's go get one."

"But then we would have to hike down!" Minerva whined.

"Stay here." I suggested. "We won't be gone too long."

"No, I'll go." Minerva wasn't having me alone with Artemis.

"Trouble will get lonely." I said.

"You stay." Minerva glared at me.

"I'm not the one that doesn't know how to hike." I argued.

"Ladies!" yelled Artemis. "I'll go alone. You two stay here with Trouble. Okay?"

Fang made a whining noise. He wanted me to stay.

"No," I said. "Take Minerva with you. Just in case." I paused, and then mumbled, "But it's not like she can fight anything off of you."

I know he heard, but Artemis said nothing.

--

_Minutes after Artemis and Minerva left_

"I saw what happened," Trouble said. "In Minerva's house."

I was confused for a moment. "What?"

"Artemis kissed you. I saw it." Trouble was looking at the ground in front of him. "Remember, I was shielded right behind you."

I was shocked silent.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to tell anyone. Unless you want me to…" Trouble trailed off.

"No. If we wanted people to know, then we wouldn't be lying to Minerva." I said, my tongue working again.

"Why don't you want anyone to know?" Trouble asked. "I find nothing wrong with it… except that it's _Artemis Fowl_."

"There's nothing wrong with Artemis. He's just a little different." I said quietly.

"Then why don't you want people to know?" Trouble pressed.

"It's mostly his parents we're worried about." I paused. "See, we have this nightly thing—"

"Oh my, gods…" Trouble said.

I rolled my eyes. "What is it with you and thinking I sleep with Artemis? I go into his room almost every night TO TALK. That's what we were doing when you came to us."

"Good… after I saw what happened, I was getting to be a little worried. You guys are too young…" Trouble said. "At sixteen."

"I'm turning seventeen very soon and Artemis is already seventeen, so technically, we are almost adults." I stated. It was true, surprisingly. I felt a surge of relief. I'd been living in a lie for so long... what with Minerva, Artemis's parents, Opal.... I thought I'd lost the ability to tell the truth.

"besides... you aren't married." Trouble said. He'd entered the wrong field. He had opened a weak spot for me to poke at.

"What about you and Holly? You aren't married." I grinned wickedly.

"We haven't..." Trouble started. He blushed. "Fine. I get it. I'll leave you alone; just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"Why would you care?" I asked.

"Because if you are Holly's friend, you're mine, too." Trouble said, embarrassed. "Besides, you know she wouldn't want you two getting into trouble, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so." There was silence until Minerva and Artemis returned with the map.

**A/N: **

**Me: You like that chapter? Tell me in a review!**

**SF: Whoring for reviews doesn't get you any, you know that, right?**

**Me: Yeah, but I like to. It makes me feel all fuzzy inside... **

**SF: **Scoots away from me** Whatever you say... whatever you say...**

**Me: REVIEW! PLEASE!?**


	8. I go insane

**A/N: **

**Me: I am so mad. This is my third attempt at typing this. If you are reading this, thank God, because my computer didn't randomly shut off, or my dog didn't unplug it. (Yes, that means you, Artemis...)**

**SF: Lighten up. It's the holidays! Merry Christmas, everyone!**

**Me: Yeah, yeah. I know. My Christmas was fine until I had to get on this computer…**

**SF: Why did you do it? You know that computers only frustrate you…**

**Me: I don't know. I just had the sudden urge to update. **

**SF: **Sighs** Obviously, since she's in a mood, I have to tell you about our chapter. It takes place where the other chapter left off, Sam—**

**Me: No! Don't ruin that chapter!**

**SF: He he! I knew that that would cheer you up.**

**Me: I am not cheered up! I am FED up. Grr… all computers do is break your heart…**

**SF: Okaaaaaay… No, Melissa, you aren't weird at all. I love my computer.**

**Me: You have high speed. And it's a laptop…**

**SF: So? Oh well! **Says normal disclaimer** Happy reading!**

**--**

The smell of human food made my head shoot up. I took in a deep breath and looked at Artemis, horrified. In his hands, he held a piece of paper, and a bulky bag. In the bag, I could tell from smell, was A LOT of cooked meat, some lettuce (Probably a salad), and, worst of all, _garlic bread_. Was Artemis _trying _to kill me? I shuddered and decided to get away from everyone and their killer food as fast as possible.

I got up to leave, but someone stopped me by grabbing the sleeve of my hoodie. "What?" I said irritably. I was getting thirsty.

"You should really eat, Sam." I was surprised to hear Minerva's voice. "We humans need our nutrition!"

Was this really Minerva? I was confused for a moment, until I realized what was really going on. Minerva was trying to impress Artemis, most likely.

"No, I'd…" I stopped myself. Humans were supposed to get hungry around nighttime, right? "I'd just _love _some of that salad." By this time, Artemis had brought out the food for Trouble to come and get some. There was some meat that I didn't recognize, some garlic bread, and salad.

"No meat?" Minerva asked.

"Nah, I'm veggie." I said. In my opinion, I sounded like a hippie. I wonder if anyone else noticed… "Where did you guys get all of this stuff, anyway?"

"There was a small store down the road from where we bought the map." Artemis answered. He bit into a piece of garlic bread. It made me sick.

"Want some bread?" Minerva asked me.

"No," I said, too quickly. "I mean no thanks. I am deathly allergic to garlic."

She looked at me skeptically as she handed me my plate. She went to go get hers, and we all ate together.

It took about another hour for the sun to finally go down. But, during that hour, my skin started to hurt, so I was forced to put on another layer of sunscreen. Minerva studied me intently. It was a little creepy, if you ask me.

"So, where are we sleeping?" asked Minerva almost an hour after sunset.

"I have some tents in the shuttle." Trouble said. "I was thinking that the girls sleep in one tent, the boys in the other. Sound fair?"

I was shocked silent. Why would Trouble stick me with Minerva? First I had to eat human food, now I had to sleep with the enemy? I might as well be locked in a cage with Opal Koboi, but strapped down, so I couldn't kill her. No, I'd rather the latter….

"Yes," said Artemis, looking at me. His eyes told me not to argue. "That is just fine."

I looked down, wanting to scream at Trouble until one of our heads exploded, but I could feel Artemis's gaze on me.

--

_Nighttime, the tents have just been set up, and Sam, Fang and Minerva are lying in their tent. Tension is building in the air…_

"You know, Sam," said Minerva. "I am not a complete idiot."

"I know," I replied, trying to be polite. "Artemis has told me about you and your huge brain."

"But that's not my point." Minerva sat up. "I'm sure you've noticed me studying you."

"Yeah…" I muttered.

"I've noticed a lot of things. You don't eat garlic—"

"I'm allergic!" I exclaimed.

"You protect your skin when the sun is out—" Minerva was getting dangerously close to my secret.

"I burn easily!" I said. "Why are you pointing these things out?"

"You wouldn't eat any meat—"

I was getting panicked. There was no question about it—Minerva knew. "I told you, I am a vegetarian." I whispered weakly.

"You aren't human, Sam." Minerva said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it's none of your business, that's why!" I yelled, not caring if anyone heard. "Why should you care if I am a vampire? It has nothing to do with you!" I stood up as much as I could in the small tent.

"It is my business if you are a threat to my Artemis!" Minerva's chin lifted higher. She was trying to intimidate me.

"Your Artemis?! _Your Artemis?!_" My head felt like it actually was going to explode. I felt a rush of adrenaline. My vision went blurry, red ate at the corners. What was wrong with me? Was I going insane? Was I already insane? The smell of Minerva's blood was overwhelming. What was happening? My throat burned, my stomach ached. The signs of thirst…

I lurched for Minerva. I landed on the ground next to a whimpering Fang. The sound of his cowers made something in my brain click. I backed away from Minerva and out of the tent. I didn't get far, though, because I ran into something hard, while trying to run away. My vision was still blurred and red, so my sight would have been of more use if I was drunk. I was forced to use my nose. The thing that I had bumped into was human. Or maybe fairy, I couldn't tell, but by its size, I was guessing human.

I fell to the ground. My head was throbbing. I heard a groan that just might have been mine or the humans.

"Kill me…" I murmured.

"No," said the human I had run into. "Sam? What happened? Are you alright?"

It was Artemis.

"I don't—"I didn't even have time to finish my sentence before I fell unconscious.

--

**A/N: **

**SF: Like it? Click the review button and tell us!**

**Me: Why are you so happy? This is the freaking THIRD TIME we've had to type this!**

**SF: But, when we kept typing, it changed. I think it changed for the better.**

**Me: You aren't the one that has had to type it. =P**

**SF: Ah, the beauty of being the CO. AUTHOR!**

**Me: I hate you…**

**SF: I love you, too! (In a non-gay way)**


	9. Untitled x2

**A/N: I have to do this chapter alone. SF is doing something with her mom… did you guys like the last chapter? Oh, and AH4ever, I am not going to kill Minerva, but she won't be getting Artemis, either. =) So, both ways, Minerva loses and most of my readers are happy. =D (I am very sorry to all of my Minerva-loving readers…)**

**This chapter is going to be mostly about Minerva and Artemis.**

**--**

**[Artemis's POV]**

I woke up to someone screaming. It sounded as if they were yelling my name. I tried to go back to sleep, but the noise was unbearable. Finally, Trouble turned over to me and hit my arm. "Go se what the girls are yelling about."

I sighed and got out of the tent, but before I could get to the girls' tent, Sam came rushing out. She took me by surprise when she just charged me. She collided with me and fell to the ground. What had Minerva done to her?

"What happened?" I asked. "Are you alright?"

"I don't—" Sam stopped talking and her eyes fluttered shut.

This was a _marvelous _way to wake up.

The tent that Sam had come out of wriggled. Minerva's head popped out. "Is it safe?" She asked.

"Of course it's safe." I rolled my eyes. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Sam is a monster!" Minerva exclaimed. "She lunged at me! I swear! Before she actually bit me, though, something drove her away. What do you think it was?"

"What the hell are you talking about, Minerva?" I said, pretending to be clueless.

"You mean you didn't know that Sam is a vampire?" Minerva got out of the tent fully and ran over to me. "She never told you?"

"Minerva, vampires don't exist." I raised my eyebrows, suggesting that she was lying.

"It is true!" Minerva grabbed my arm. "Sam is a vampire! She attacked me!"

"For all you know, Minerva, Sam could have been attacking you because you ticked her off." I said.

"Well then you tell me how her eyes turned red!" Minerva demanded.

"Red?" Sam's eyes had never changed from green before. "Eyes don't change from green to red. Red isn't even an eye color."

"It is for vampires!" Minerva said. "Think about it, Artemis. She claims to be allergic to garlic; a lethal substance to vampires, she wouldn't eat any of the meat that we brought here, probably because it was cooked. Sam said she was a vegetarian, that she was on a special diet. It all points to vampire, Artemis!"

"Maybe you are just paranoid." I said, harshly. "Maybe Sam is a vegetarian that is allergic to garlic and is self conscious about her weight. Ever think of that?"

"Yes. It's highly unlikely." Minerva looked down at Sam, whom I was kneeling over. "You might want to step away. She attacked me, remember?"

"Nonsense!" I snapped. Why couldn't she just let it go? "I've known Sam for a long time. She is harmless." Not the truth, but not a lie…

"Harmless people don't have blood red eyes and feed on the blood of humans!" Minerva yelled.

"Go to bed." I said, pointing to her tent. "You are obviously delusional."

"No! It's true!" Minerva said. "Sam is a killer!"

That upset me. "Sam is not a killer. So what if she is a vampire? I'm still alive, and she's staying at my house with all of my family. We are all live and healthy."

"She is staying at your house?" Minerva gasped.

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that? If you do, you'll hate this more!" I leaned down and kissed Sam, long and deep. I was so mad at Minerva, I didn't even care if she ran away crying. Why had I been so stupid as to bring her? It's not like we _really _needed her help.

"How long has this been going on?" Minerva was obviously hurt. "Why did you not tell me?"

"Because you wouldn't have listened, Minerva," I said quietly. "Through this whole trip, all you've been concentrating on is me."

Minerva looked as if she were about to cry.

"I'm sorry. I thought we had agreed that we shouldn't be together." I looked at the ground, refusing to meet her eyes. "All this time, you've been chasing after me like some tramp. But you aren't like that, Minerva. I know it. What happened to that twelve-year-old girl that kidnapped No1? Why did she turn into this?" I gestured at her.

"She fell in love." Minerva said, surprising me by far.

"Minerva, you could do so much better than me." I said. "I am just not 'the one' for you. There are many other people out there who would love you. I mean, you are rich, beautiful, intelligent, and so much more."

"But I don't want them, Artemis." Minerva said, walking closer to me. "I want you."

"Do you want me to be happy?" I asked, not knowing if I could comfort her.

Minerva nodded. "Of course."

"Then don't force yourself on me." I said. "I hate that. I hate seeing you act like this. You are belittling yourself."

Minerva said nothing. She walked back to her tent. She disappeared, making me feel terrible. However, I managed to set my feelings aside and focus on Sam. Minerva already knew that she was a vampire, so I didn't have to hide it anymore. I found the knife we had used to cut the meat earlier and made a line on my arm. I put the line near Sam's nose, hoping to wake her up. It worked.

Sam automatically sat up and started licking my arm. It tickled.

I waited for her to realize what was going on, which took about three more seconds. She pulled away from my arm and spit out the blood. "Why did you do that? You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I trust you," I said simply. She eyed me. By the look on her face, she sensed that something was wrong.

I shook my head and said, "What happened?"

"I don't remember…"

"Why can you not remember things that happen at night?" I asked, remembering the first night Sam had kissed me.

"I remember yelling… lots of yelling. My vision was blurry and the smell of Minerva's blood was poisoning my brain." Sam was chewing her lip and glaring into space, as if what had happened was playing out on a screen beside me.

"That's all you remember?"

"Ye— no!" Sam suddenly screamed. "Minerva knows! She knows that I am a vampire!"

"I know." I said, trying to look as bored as possible so I could hide my feelings from Sam.

"How?" Sam said. "No, wait! I don't really want to know how you know. I have a feeling that it isn't good."

There was a movement in the woods near us. I turned my head to see what it was, but I saw nothing.

"That was strange…" Sam said. "Well, I'm going to bed. Good night." Sam pecked me on the cheek and went into her tent. For a moment, I thought that I shouldn't have let her go, considering Minerva's state, but that thought vanished when Sam rushed out of the tent, saying, "Minerva's gone!"

--

**A/N: Cliffie! Sorry, people, but I like cliffies… plus my back is starting to hurt, so I'ma go listen to some Green Day! Later, folks!**


	10. I get crushed

**A/N: I haven't been able to update recently. Sorry. I also have, like, three minutes to type this, so I can't contact SF. She'll distract me. =P I just woke up an hour ago, so I can't think. This might be a short chapter…**

**Disclaimer: I keep forgetting this, don't I? Well, I don't own Artemis… or the plot. (Happy, SF?)**

**--**

**[Sam]**

"Minerva is missing!" I exclaimed. Artemis looked at me in shock from where he was standing on the ground.

"She has to be there," he said. "Where could she have gone in that short time? How could she even get out of the tent without us noticing?" Artemis sounded confident, but his eyes revealed that he was worried.

"I'm not blind," I crossed my arms. "There is no one in that tent."

Artemis's brow furrowed as he walked toward the tent. Fang and I watched silently as he stuck his head into it. He stayed in that position for a moment, and when he came out, his face was troubled. "She's not there."

"I know. That's what I have been trying to tell you." I paused. "I'll go get Trouble, I guess."

I knew Artemis well enough to guess that he was planning on looking for her.

I woke Trouble with a nudge or two. "What?" he groaned.

"Minerva is gone." I said, shaking him again.

"Good. She was a pain in the ass." He said, pushing my hand away and turning over.

"Trouble! Get up before I _make _you get up!" I yelled.

One of his eyes opened and he studied me. He saw how serious my demeanor was and he sat up. "Fine," he didn't look happy. "What does Artemis want to do about it? I say we leave her here and—"

"Trouble… I know you hate Minerva just as much as I do, but Artemis likes her." I looked at him with my best 'feel sorry for me' look. "I know it's really hard, but can you please try to help?"

"Alright. I'll do it, but I won't be happy." Trouble crawled out of the tent and said something to Artemis that I couldn't catch. All I heard was 'mood swings'.

I rolled my eyes and followed him out. Artemis's eyes moved over to mine immediately. There was that worried look again. For the first time, I wondered what Artemis was thinking. Was it some complex thing that an average mind like mine wouldn't understand?

_Probably,_ I thought. _He is a genius, after all._

I was pulled out of my own thoughts by the sound of Trouble's voice. "How are we going to find her in this huge mountain range?"

"Before we worry about finding her, I think we should find out why she is gone." Artemis headed into the tent. What did he think he was going to find in there? A note? We'd gotten lucky with the last one.

Fang barked. The noise was so sudden and loud, I jumped. He growled at something in the woods, his teeth bared and his ears back. I had never seen him so fierce. Artemis emerged back out of the tent and said "What is he barking at?" He was obviously panicked.

"I don't know!" I yelled, running toward Fang. Before I could pick him up, though, a huge hooded figure stepped out of the trees. I couldn't see his face.

Thankfully, though, my nose told me that this intruder was human. There was one huge him, and three of us. We had Trouble's Nutrino and we had me. I might not be big enough to take this guy on, but if my mouth got close enough to his skin for even two seconds, he would be gone. It took me about three seconds to work out a rough plan, but I never got to use it. Before I could even take a step closer to the strange man, he got closer to me and, though I couldn't tell how, for he was moving so fast, grabbed me by the arms and slung me on the ground. He then put a lot of weight on me. It may have been his foot, it may have been something else. I would never know.

My face was buried in the ground, no matter how much I wriggled. I couldn't break free from this man's iron body. I gritted my teeth, trying to overcome the lack of oxygen getting into my lungs. I could hear shouts and growls. The growl may have been mine or Fang's.

I heard Artemis's voice. He said, "Get off of her!" A banging noise. What happened? My mind was working furiously. I wasn't used to relying on sound.

Someone let out a gasp of pain. I assumed it was Artemis. This made me mad. Where was Trouble?

My mind went blank. I just couldn't think anymore. I was just about to give in and pass out, when I heard a scream. It was more of an agonized shout than a scream, but it still affected me. I started shaking. My vision went red again. The man that was holding me down was about to die.

**--**

**A/N: Too short? Almost 900 words. Meh… I could do better, but I have to get off of the computer. I bet no one can guess who the man is. SF knows, so she can't guess. If she does, I'll have to delete the review so no one else can read… please, SF, don't tell them. XD I'm too lazy to delete it…**


	11. I apologize

**A/N: I'd like to apologize for my lack of updating. My computer crashed a while ago because of a rain storm, and my family is really interested in a computer game that's really addictive. Because of this, I barely get any time to update or do pretty much anything else on the computer. =(**

**Again, I'm sorry. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's. – Your authorette (You have to go to my profile to find out my name) XD ^ I don't care if it's not a word…**


	12. A rock knocks me out

**A/N:**

**Me: There is a lot of death mentioned in these stories… I just realized that.**

**SF: Of course there is. I mean, you are the author. **Sticks tongue out at me****

**Me: **Growls** Say the disclaimer.**

**SF: Say please.**

**Me: Now?**

**SF: Please.**

**Me: Now!?**

**SF: Say please and maybe I will.**

**Me: **sighs** Fine. Shadowfire, you are my bestest buddy. Will you please say the disclaimer before I am tempted to hurt you?**

**SF: … Meh, close enough, I guess.**

***Short pause***

**Me: Well?**

**SF: **Is asleep****

**Me: remind me to fire her… JK. I don't own anything that I didn't come up with.**

**SF: Which is almost everything.**

**Me: When did you wake up?**

**SF: Was never asleep. **Grins****

**Me: I hate you…**

**SF: I know!**

**--**

My vision was crimson in the corners. My mind was foggy. That thing that had happened when Minerva confronted me was happening again. The smell of blood in the air was stronger than ever and it made my stomach growl and my throat burn. I longed to flip myself over and sink my teeth into this huge man's foot. The only problem was that I couldn't. Not while he was so big, anyway. So, unless he shrank in the next ten seconds, we were screwed. All of the hope that we might be able to escape dwindled away and my thoughts turned pessimistic.

I heard another groan. This time it was me that groaned. This guy's foot was heavier than me, and considering how hard he was pressing down on my back, I felt as if my spine was going to shatter.

Where was Trouble? His Nutrino would certainly come in handy right about now.

At that moment, as if a prayer was being answered, the man's foot lifted off of my back. I got up immediately and lifted my fists in a defensive stance. There was no one in front of me. I looked around the clearing. The only people I saw were Artemis and Trouble. They were both tied up in ropes, back to back, with loads of bruises and cuts everywhere. Little sparks of blue magic were flying around all over the both of them.

I gasped and started for them, but I tripped over something on the way.

The air left my lungs as my chest hit the ground. And, unfortunately for me, my head hit a rock on the way down. Before I passed out, though, I caught a glimpse of the large man. That was the last thing I remembered when I woke up…

--

My eyes fluttered open. The light in the room I was in burned my face and my eyes. Room? I wasn't in a room when I fell… There was sudden pain in my forehead as I remembered the fight. My hand flew up to the spot where I had hit the rock. There was only more pain when my hand made contact with my injury, so I let it drop to the hard stone floor beneath me.

All I could do was groan, so I did. I felt a warm hand on my mouth. Apparently, someone was trying to stop me from making noise.

I opened my eyes to see a dirty and bruised Artemis hovering above me. "Where are we?" I asked from behind his hand.

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself." He whispered back, removing his hand from my face.

"Who was the man?" I asked. I knew he didn't know. If he didn't know the answer to the first question, he didn't know the answer to the second.

All he did was sigh.

There was a long pause while I thought. "Where's Trouble?"

"Behind me." Artemis said.

How did I miss that? I looked around Artemis's shoulder. Sure enough, Trouble was there, but so was someone else. They way Trouble was holding her made it hard for me to see who it was, but I knew anyway.

"Holly!" I exclaimed. I tried to get up, but I was bound in something strong. Chain.

Artemis saw my frantic look. "We couldn't get them off." He said. "Trouble and I were bound in rope, but this man knew that you were the strongest of us all."

"Oh well. They'll come off one way or another." I grinned at him. "Right now, I want to see Holly."

Trouble looked up at me. His eyes were a little red and puffy, telling me that he had recently been crying.

I panicked and looked at Artemis. "Is something wrong with her?"

"She hasn't woken up since we've been here." He replied with a sad frown. "She is alive, but she just won't wake."

"Of course not," said a voice I knew all too well. "I injected her with a special serum that I made myself."

I growled. "Opal!"

**--**

**A/N:**

**Me: I love writing cliffies… I don't know why.**

**SF: You like to torture people?**

**Me: That might be one reason… **Grins evilly****

**SF: **Sighs****

**Me: Anyway… I have a question I want to ask you guys. What is your favorite band/singer? I'm just curious. Answer me in a review!**

**SF: She's weird, eh?**


	13. Until death do us part

**A/N:**

**SF: Yay! A new chapter!**

**Me: Mhm...**

**SF: You ruin all of my fun. =P**

**Me: mhm.**

**SF: Grr...**

**Me: **Chuckles****

**SF: I'm bored of saying the disclaimer. Your turn.**

**Me: You never say the disclaimer...**

**SF: yeah, I did. Once, at the very beginning of the story.**

**Me: Yes. And I've said it many other times... like in the two stories you didn't help me with.**

**SF: Whatever. Say it.**

**Me: **sighs** I no own what my extremely lazy friend, SF, came up with, nor do I own Eoin Colfer's characters. But Sam is still mine. xD Sam **_**and**_** Fang! I forgot about Fang in the last chapter... but don't worry! He will be in the end. I've figured out a way to fix my fumble. xP**

**--**

"Of course it's me," Opal said with a bittersweet smile. "Who else could come up with this ingenious plan?"

She sounded just as arrogant as I remembered.

"It really was a very simple plan." Artemis pointed out. "Kidnapping your enemy, leaving a threatening note, leading the rescue team into a trap? Very straightforward, if you ask me."

"Well, nobody asked you," Opal glared at my smart-ass boyfriend.

I sighed. "Are we just going to sit here and chat, or are you going to tell us the rest of your plan and how you are planning on killing us?"

'I don't share my plans with others, dear Sam." Opal smiled mischievously. "You should know that by now."

I knew she was talking about how, last time we had met, she had planned on killing me after I did my job. Of course, she didn't tell me that.

Stupidly, I tried to get up again. It didn't work. I feel flat on my face on the concrete floor. The floor wasn't kind to the wound on my forehead.

"Ughh..." I groaned. Artemis flipped me over so that I was lying on my back. "I'm so stupid..." I mumbled.

He stifled a chuckle. "You are not stupid. You just have a tiny lack of common sense." He said playfully.

"Ha ha." I said dully.

"Sickening!" exclaimed Opal. "I can't believe you would do this to me, Samantha. Artemis is my worst enemy, yet you go and joke around with him?" She shuddered.

I was mad now. Mad. "I can't believe that, after all I did for you, you would even consider killing me!" I yelled. "You make me want to kill _myself_! And don't think I'm not going to get you for that, Opal Koboi. You just wait." I cackled. I was probably sounding really freakish to those around me, but I didn't care. Insane or not, I wasn't going to let this chance to kill her slip away. Not again.

"I am not afraid of you," Opal said firmly. "I made you, I can take you down." She paused. "You know those times when you get so mad, your vision turns red?"

I nodded, a little scared, but I didn't let it show.

"Good. That means it has already started." She grinned wickedly at me.

"What has?" I was panicked now. This couldn't be good.

"You are dying, Sam," Opal's smile widened. "Your brain is going into overdrive. Soon, it will work itself to death. That's the simplified version. It gets much more complicated than that, but I would not want to speed up the process by making you think too hard."

The way she put that should have offended me, but I was too deep in thought to pay her any mind. Death wasn't that bad a consequence. Maybe it would be quick. Just so I could get it over with.

"So who is helping you with all of this." Artemis said. I could tell by his voice that he was distracted. Probably by my death. "You never work alone."

Opal just grinned and left the room.

"Finally! She's gone."I murmured.

Artemis just eyed me.

"What?" I asked. I knew what he was going to ask.

"Are you not at all moved?" he said. "You are practically dying. Doesn't that bother you?"

I waited. I had to think over my answer before I blurted out some type of suicidal poetry. "No. The only thing that saddens me about my death is leaving you and everyone else."

He looked down at the hard floor beside my head. (I had not gotten up after I had fallen.)He sighed and said, "It is my fault."

"What is?"

"That you are like this." Artemis took a breath. "If I had just left the fairies alone and found some other way to get my money, you would still be human."

"Yes, I would be human." I said. "You would be fatherless, cold hearted, and mean. And, if you remember, my parents are dead. I would either be living on the streets of New York City, or I would be cooped up in a small orphanage with a bunch of girls I don't know. I think I'd rather die young than live a life of misery."

"Beside, Artemis," said Trouble, speaking for the first time in a long time. "It's not as if you could change the past."

"I did it once, I could do it again." Artemis said. A small smile spread across his face.

"Oh, no. we are not going time traveling again." Said Trouble. "Root wouldn't have even approved of that mission."

"Root wouldn't have approved of anything that went on during that trip." Artemis said, in deep thought.

I sent him a questioning look. He just shook his head and let the subject drop. About ten minutes of silence later, Holly woke up.

**--**

**A/N: Me: My mom is rushing me off fo the computer now. **

**SF: that happens a lot...**

**Me: Fo shizzle sounds weird. Say it aloud!**

**SF: I think she is tired...**

**Me: Nah. **

**SF: REVIEW!**

**Me: Yeah! I don't write this for my health, you know! My 5****th**** grade teacher always used to say 'I'm not teaching you guys for my heath!' or something like that. It was funny. xD **

**SF: Later. I'll make her update tomorrow! =P**


	14. Untitled x3

**A/N:**

**Me: Did I forget to say that this will be the last story in this series-thing?**

**SF: Yes...**

**Me: Then... This will be the last story in this series. Well... I might do a oneshot or two if I ever get bored, but that might be hard, considering the ending...**

**SF: And you say **_**I**_** try to ruin the story. **

**Me: **Ignores comment** then, I'm going to write a Percy Jackson and the Olympians fic. I've only gotten the plot so far. Nothing more. Not even a title...**

**SF: Okay. Time for the chapter, so shut up. We wouldn't want to bore the readers to death, right?**

**Me: Fine. Disclaimer: It's SF's turn, and she isn't going to say it, so go to the previous chapter and look at that disclaimer, because I don't feel like typing it.**

**SF: **Grins****

**--**

"When did you guys get here?" Holly mumbled.

Trouble let no one respond. He took her in a big bear hug and started whispering things I could not hear into her pointed ear. She hugged him back and they stayed like that for a long time. It was an awkward moment for Artemis and I. I tried to give them some privacy by turning around, but when I sat up, I got dizzy because of the... rock incident.

Of course, Artemis didn't leave me to suffer alone. (From the rock, not the snuggling elves a meter away.) He sat beside me in silence, staring off into space.

Seeing him in this state scared me a little. I hadn't seen him act like this for a long time. It made me start to realize that my death affected more than just me. Sadness crept at the edges of my mind, threatening to overcome my thoughts.

No. I refused to let myself grieve. Right now, the best thing to do was to live through this ordeal and try to find a remedy. But that might not work. Maybe said remedy could only be found in Opal's mind, but I planned o killing her. My plan wouldn't work unless she wrote it down somewhere.

A sudden realization hit me like a truck. What if there was no remedy? What if I had to leave Artemis? It would kill him _and _me eternally.

"Artemis... what would happen to you if I did die?" I asked suddenly.

"Right now, Sam, my future is uncertain." He replied. "I actually believe that this is the end for all of us."

"No!" I tried to sit up again, stupidly. After a moment of having my eyes shut tight, I spoke. "We are all getting out of here alive. The only one that is going to die is Opal. I promise."

"Do you really believe that, child?" Asked a familiar voice.

"Yes, opal, I do." I said back, after a moment's hesitation. How had she entered the room so quietly?

I turned my head, craning my neck to find Opal. The sight was not what I had expected. Opal and two of her cronies were standing by the door. It wasn't Opal that got my attention, but to her cronies. One was short and skinny, and the other was all brawn. They both had very serious faces, faces that I recognized very well.

"Artemis?" I said, confused. "You're helping Opal Koboi?"

**--**

**A/N: **

**SF: This was short...**

**Me: I know. I sorry, but there no good way to end this chapter within a reasonable amount of time. It would take, like, and hour to read this chapter if I kept on typing until the next good stopping point.**

**SF: Yeah... That's why. **

**Me: Meh... I'll update tomorrow. Most likely...**


	15. Too simple

**A/N:**

**Me: I just read a really good book called THE HUNGER GAMES.**

**SF: I thought it was good, too. It was by Suzanne Collins... there's not an archive for it on this site, though.**

**Me: Yeah. Anyway, I love cliffies... This one won't be, though. I keep getting review telling me how cruel I am. xD Now, to start the chapter!...**

**SF: Disclaimer.**

**Me: **Rolls eyes.** Look, guys. I'm pretty sure that you all know that I am not Eoin Colfer. If I was, I wouldn't be on this website, would I? At least, I wouldn't be **_**writing **_**on it. I don't own whatever was in the books that is in this chapter... or the rest of the story, for that matter.**

**--**

I was astounded by the two people standing in front of me. Artemis Fowl, and *Censored* Butler. Had they betrayed us? No, it was impossible. Artemis was sitting right beside me.

I looked at Opal, confused. She grinned evilly. That was no help, so I looked at Artemis. His face was mixture of surprise and fear. It wasn't like 'fear' fear. It was more like 'it came back to haunt me' type of fear. But there was no confusion. Artemis knew exactly what was going on.

"What am I missing?" I said aloud.

Artemis looked at me, but didn't answer.

Opal laughed a cruel and teasing cackle. "Nothing, Samantha, you see exactly what you think you see: A smaller version of your dear friends, Artemis and Butler. They are working for me now."

Holly stood up. "They are mesmerized!"

"That's right." Opal said, delightedly. "They are completely under my control. So, if I just happened to say something like, 'Little-mis, slap yourself', he would do it."

And so he did.

"Little-mis?" asked Artemis.

"Yes!" Squealed Opal, "I made it myself. Catchy, isn't it?"

Artemis looked mad. "You could at least give me _some_ value and call me by my name."

"Without screwing with the first part," I added, for emphasis.

Opal's face turned malevolent. "Oh, Artemis. What would give you the idea that I care about you enough to give you value?"

Artemis response was immediate. "Well, you've kept at trying to kill me. That gives me reasons to believe that you care about me." He paused. "Just not in the same way."

I chuckled, and then turned serious again. "And what do you mean by 'Little', anyway?"

"I went back in time." Opal revealed. "I just mesmerized these two younger versions of Butler and Fowl, kidnapped Short, and the rest was just layed out for me. A very simple plan, really."

No one said anything. Okay, so Opal had gone back in time somehow and brought back a younger version of Artemis. I had expected a more complicated explanation, but...

"I'm thirsty," I said, after a while of tense silence. Bad move.

Artemis cleared his throat and scooted away from my head, away from my lethal teeth. I grinned a little at this move. It was a smart one, for, the last time Artemis had been around when I was thirsty, I had bitten him.

Opal's face brightened. "Good! That is the biggest part of my plan."

Silence.

"What is?" I asked.

"I plan on letting you go thirsty, until you can't bear it any longer and you kill your little friends. And the, eventually, you will die of your little 'disease'." Opal's little pixie face was like the Grinch's: Curved into an ear-to-ear malicious grin.

I gasped in surprise and looked at my friends. It was horrifying. I backed away as much as I could -- what with my head all bruised up -- from all of them, not wanting to get anywhere near any of them, in fear that I might be tempted. "No!" I yelled. "That will NEVER happen!"

"Oh, yes it will." Her grin grew larger, if that was possible. "Just wait and see. By tomorrow, at least one of these 'friends' of yours will be gone."

"No," I insisted. "None of them are going to die unless I give in... which I won't. I'm doomed, anyway. I'll just speed up the process by starving myself."

"Ah, but that's the problem." Opal said. "I had enough foresight to make it so that you couldn't die easily."

I raised my eyebrows. "So?"

"No suicide, for you, young Sam." Opal said, cruelly. "No 'sweet release' for this troubled teenager."

"Starving myself really doesn't sound 'sweet' to me." I pointed out.

"Yes, but it's not the _way_ you die, but that you die. You get rid of all of your troubles." Opal retorted.

"What are you? Emo 101?" I asked, hoping to get off fo the subject of my suicide.

Opal just rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, her two followers close behind.

**--**

**A/N: **

**Me: That was a bit longer than the least chapter. I think... **

**SF: I don't remember, either.**

**Me: You tell us... Was this chapter that you are reading right now longer than the last chapter? **

**SF: REVIEW!**

**Me: And you say **_**I**_** whore for reviews!**

**SF: You used to...**

**Me: I know...**


	16. Random title

**A/N: **

**Me: I forgot about something... SF came up with Little-mis.**

**SF: Darn right I did.**

**Me: Yes. Now, moving on to more important things, This story is almost over. I just can't figure out how to word the ending...**

**SF: But this time you can't ask the readers.**

**Me: I was getting to that...**

**SF: So you have to ask me!**

**Me: I guess. What are you getting at?**

**SF: **Grins evilly** **

**Me: Uh-oh... She's planning on killing everyone. No. Absolutely not... only a select few will die.**

**SF: **Grunts** Who will that be?**

**Me: (I haven't told her) People that I can't say to our readers because it will spoil the story.**

**SF: Okay, readers. Go away...**

**Me: NO! Stay! She'll kill me...!**

**SF: **Pulls knife from behind back** No, I won't!**

**--**

The door shut with a pneumatic hiss.

"It won't happen." I assured everyone in the cage with me. "I will not—under any circumstances –kill any of you."

No one responded for a while.

"Are you sure?" asked Holly.

I thought for a moment. No. I wasn't sure in the least bit that I could control myself. "Of course," I lied. "I wouldn't _dream_ of it."

Still, they stayed a distance away.

After a while of lying (I still couldn't sit up) in the corner alone, I said, "Keeping away from me really won't help. If you are anywhere near me, and I know about it—which I will – You are dead."

I then realized how that must have sounded and clenched my teeth.

All the same, Artemis finally came back to my side. I grabbed his hand immediately and squeezed it as tightly as I could without hurting him or breaking fragile bone. He squeezed back just as hard, and, at that moment, I knew that, whatever it took, none of us would be dying.. not by my hand, anyway.

**12345678910 (I miss that so much...)**

**[Opal's POV]**

I looked at the screen in abhorrence. There she was, my Sam, holding hands with _Artemis Fowl_. Artemis Fowl, the boy that I had taught her to hate. Artemis Fowl, the boy that had escaped death more than once. Oh, how I hated that human!

"Butler!" I screamed at the giant man behind me.

"Yes, master?" he asked.

I gasped. "I am a girl! Don't call me _master_!"

He cleared his throat. "Yes, Miss Koboi?"

"That's better." I studied my manicured nails. "What did you think of my little act out there?"

"You are an excellent liar, Miss Koboi." He replied, sounding just as he was; hypnotized.

"I know, I try." I loved getting complements.

"But, Miss Koboi, I have to ask." The giant man said. "Why did you lie to the girl about her death approaching?"

"Not that it's any of your information, human, but I just wanted for her to suffer before I executed her." I paused to let that sink in. "You see, if Samantha believes that she is going to die soon, anyway, she will try to make herself go as long as possible without feed. This will eventually torture her to the point that she cannot control herself."

"Ah, yes," mumbled Butler. "But why would you want to torture this poor child into killing her own friends?"

"Mister Butler, if I'd wanted you to know that, I would have told you by now." I glared at him. "Now, go get me some food."

"Yes, Miss Koboi." He left the room, leaving me with little ten-year-old Fowl.

I stared at the boy. He looked... well, he looked like a mesmerized ten-year-old. He was slumped over with that look in his eyes... his big, electric blue eyes.

I was glaring into Fowl's eyes when Butler came back with my tray of delicious watermelon and truffles. I took it gratefully. I loved truffles.

The pair stood behind me while I ate, and they stared at me I after I finished.

"What do you two want?" I asked after a few moments.

"I don't know about young Master Fowl over there, but I'm waiting." Butler replied. His voice lacked the 'mesmerized' sound.

My eyes opened wide as I studied this Butler. He was a few years older than the Butler I had sent into the kitchen.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked, skeptically. Was there some type of poison in my truffles?

"The sedative to kick in." he grinned.

I gasped again. "You tampered with my truffles?!" I yelled.

"Actually, it was the watermelon." He stated.

That was the last thing I heard, for I had collapsed on the floor.

**12345678910**

**[Sam's POV]**

I was still squeezing Artemis's comforting hand when the door opened again. How many times was that witch going to bother us?

But when a man stepped out of the doorway, I was surprised. He was not Opal, obviously, but someone more familiar.

"Butler?" Artemis said in disbelief.

It wasn't the mesmerized Butler. That I could tell from his graying hair and tired eyes. It was the real—well, both of them were real, but you get my point--Butler.

I heard Trouble and Holly shift positions on the other side of our miniature hell.

"How did you find us?" I asked.

All he said was, "I'll explain later. Right now, let's get out of here."

And that's what we did. Some fairy that I didn't know drove us all the way to Northeast Africa, where we then took chute E77 down to Haven.

We had left behind a retrieval squad to take care of Opal, even though I protested, saying that I could do it. They wouldn't let me, though, because of my stupid head injury. So I couldn't be killing Opal today, maybe not even tomorrow. Maybe not ever.

**--**

**A/N:**

**Me: Now my brother is nagging me for the computer. Why can't he just live somewhere else?**

**SF: because he loves you!**

**Me: That's most likely not the reason why, but it will have to work for now.**

**SF: Okay... **

**Me: I am anticipating that there will be only one or two more chapters. I am sad now... Hey, SF!?**

**SF: What?**

**Me: Can you tell the readers what will make me happy again?**

**SF:... Review?**

**Me: Mhm. It's not that hard... c'mon! Do it for me. **Breaks down into hysterical tears****


	17. Explosions

**A/N: **

**Me: Okay, SF has given me the PERFECT plan for this chapter and the next. THIS WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER THAT IS ACTUALLY RELATED TO THE STORY!**

**SF: The next chapter is so related to the story.**

**Me: **Rolls eyes** She wants to put a poem in, for those of you that like poetry. (ht4eva)**

**SF: ****I AM GOING TO START WRITING IT AFTER WE FINISH THIS CHAPTER!!**

**Me: Why are you speaking in caps?**

**SF: The same reason you were earlier. **

**Me: Touché…**

****Tense silence****

**SF: Dude… we are boring the readers.**

**Me: **Harrumph** Fine. I don't own SF's plot, or Colfer's characters.**

**--**

Before we went down the chute, into Haven, we made a pit stop. The fairy that was driving the shuttle landed in the nearest place that the shuttle wouldn't be seen. The place just so happened to be right by chute E77. That meant that there was no town close enough to walk to, so I suggested that we hitch a ride. Butler didn't like that very much, but it was our only choice.

The fairies stayed in the shuttle, so that they wouldn't be seen.

It took a while to walk to the nearest road, then another hour or so to get a ride. Just imagine: two teenagers and a giant man-building, thumbs up, standing on the side of the road.

The man that finally stopped was rather large, almost as big as Butler. His face was concealed behind some type of scarf wrapped around his head. Only his eyes were visible. This obviously disturbed Butler, no being able to see the man. I could feel the uneasiness radiating off of him and Artemis.

--

The man drove us around for a long time. I mean a really long time. It was hours before we actually started seeing small buildings and such.

Just as I was getting my hopes up, the man drove through the small gathering of buildings and we were back in desert. Possibly that was only a clutter of houses, and we were on our way to our real destination?

The man muttered something like: "I am hot," with an accent that didn't really sound right and turned on the air conditioner.

Before I knew it, I started to get tired. I yawned and looked at Artemis. He looked equally as tired. Strange, I had been fine a moment ago.

"Why am I so—"I yawned. "so tired all of a sudden?"

"Funny… I am, too." Artemis said.

Then I realized what was happening.

I cursed loudly and unbuckled my seatbelt, then I got up, ignoring Artemis's warning looks. I reached for the man and pulled of his little scarf-thing. He didn't even try to stop me.

Butler. Butler was the man under the scarf. That meant that Opal was the one behind the…

I fell to the floorboard, unconscious.

--

I woke up in a room that was very familiar: Artemis's room, back in Fowl Manor.

I was confused. How had I gotten here? Then I remembered Butler, the little 'incident' in the car. Though that still didn't explain how I'd gotten back to Fowl manor, it helped some.

I got up and examined my surroundings. Everything was the same, except every_one_ was lying on the floor asleep. Everyone. Artemis, Butler, Holly, Trouble, the fairy that was driving the shuttle, and, previously, me. Even Mr. and Mrs. Fowl. What would that deranged pixie want with them?

Suddenly, there was a noise over on the other side of the room. Artemis was sitting up, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

I ran over to him, jumping over everyone in my way.

"How did we get here?" He asked me, as if I would know.

I shrugged and sat down beside him. "I have no clue."

He sighed and looked around. "Why is everyone in my room?"

He didn't give me a chance to reply.

"I guess you wouldn't know that, either."

"Correct." I mumbled. I only wish that I knew what was going on.

Then Artemis's door opened. In stepped the bane of my existence, the cloud hanging over my head, the reason for my misery. Opal Koboi. Behind her, Little-ish-Butler came in, probably to make sure I didn't try to kill Opal.

"Hello, everyone," she said. "How are we doing?"

I glared at her.

"Wow. Someone's a little crabby, eh?" She smirked. "Lack of food, perhaps?"

I just glared more.

"There is some food right beside you, little Samantha. Why don't you eat?" She smiled innocently at me.

Before I could cuss her out, Artemis intervened. "Why are we here, Opal? Have you rigged the place, or something?"

"Damn you!" She yelled. "You always guess!" She glanced at her wrist. "Actually, we have about ten minutes until this place blows up."

"Damn _you_!" I said. I had stopped listening after she had told Artemis to go to hell.

Artemis sent me a look.

For the rest of the time Opal was there, I tried to analyze ways that I could get past younger Butler. Ways that I could kill Opal, without Butler getting hurt, or trying to interfere. I thought of none. Butler was good…

"Tick tock!" Opal said excitedly, walking out of the door. "We have five minutes left!"

Rage filled my mind, making it hard to think clearly. It was happening again. My vision soon got blurry and red.

I stood up and got into Artemis's closet. The darkness was soothing as I realized that I hadn't put on any sunscreen for a few hours, and that my skin was slightly inflamed.

I heard Artemis's footsteps coming for the closet with my hyper-alert hearing.

"No!" I said, just loud enough for Artemis to hear. "Don't come in here!"

"Why not?" He asked.

"It's happening again…" I mumbled, holding onto the door knob, so as he wouldn't be able to open the door.

I heard him back away. I couldn't blame him, either.

I waited a while for it to calm, but it didn't. My vision was still blurry, my thoughts were still malevolent.

Finally, I gave up and walked out of the closet, hoping that it had at least calmed down enough that I could be around humans.

When I opened the door, I saw that everyone was now awake. How long had I been in that closet?

I asked Artemis and he said two minutes. It seemed like way longer than that.

I set that aside and tried to think back to what Opal had said. _Tick tock! Five minutes!_

Three minutes until we all died.

Opal came through the door at that point. Butler followed her into the room, and she gave everyone the same speech that she had Artemis and me, starting with, "Ah, I see that you are all awake now." And so on.

--

"So, technically, you guys are going to die in a few minutes." Opal looked at her watch. "Ooh! Two minutes exactly!"

"You are going to die with us if you don't leave soon, _Opal_." I said loudly, ignoring the urge to attack Opal.

"I know," Opal's left eye twitched slightly, a sure sign that she was off of her rocker.

"You mean you are going to stay in here with us and die?" Artemis queried.

"That's exactly what I mean." Opal paused and her face turned fierce. "I have tried for so long to kill you, Artemis, and every time I try something, you stop me. Not this time." She let out an airy giggly, suddenly giddy in an insane sort of way.

She had really lost it this time.

I glared at her. "So… in a way, this is some cruel and unusual punishment for me? By not letting me kill you?"

Then I noticed movement in the corner of my eye. I loved these hyper-alert senses! There was a shielded fairy, probably Holly, judging by the size of the figure, moving in on Butler. Younger Butler, that is.

I tuned Opal out and watched Holly from the corner of my eye, watching her every step.

Finally, about ten seconds before Holly incapacitated (mini) Butler, I asked Opal how much time we had left to live.

"One minute, my enemies!" she sounded like a cheerleader, full of pep. Then (mini) Butler fell. Holly had shot him with her Nutrino.

I heard her apologize, then run for the door.

"Come on, everyone! Let's get out of here before the place explodes!" She yelled.

I grabbed Artemis's hand and drug him towards the door. We were the last out of his room, except Butler. As we were rushing down the stairs, I heard Butler's loud footsteps behind us.

Finally, I saw the door. I estimated that we had about ten seconds left, so I ran a little faster and grabbed Butler with my other hand. Thank you, mysterious disease-thing that Opal said would kill me! It increased my strength, also, luckily, so I was able to pull Butler along behind me.

I realized, with a sinking heart, a few moments later, that the door was too far away and we would never make it. This made me angrier. I held onto Artemis and a tired Butler tighter, as tight as I could, until we got just a little closer to the door.

I let go.

I let go of my two friends and pushed them, with all of my might, through the open door.

Then Fowl Manor exploded, and my mind went blank. My last thought was _I'm dead…_

--

I noticed two things:

For one, I wasn't dead.

Two, my vision was back to normal and my thoughts were clear.

I groaned. Or, at least, someone groaned. I didn't know if it was me or not.

"She's waking up!" yelled an excited voice.

I mumbled something even _I_ didn't understand.

"Heal!" whispered someone else. I was surprised that I'd heard it, with all of the excited noise.

I suddenly felt better. I sat up and took a deep breath. The air smelled _terrible_. Kind of like smoke and acrid burning fuel. No, something worse. Something that they haven't made a word for.

"How did I survive that?" I asked no one in particular. I examined the people around me. Mrs. Fowl, Mr. Fowl, Artemis, Holly, Trouble… and… someone was missing. Butler. Had he not made it?

"Where's Butler?" I asked urgently.

No one answered for a long time.

"But I saw it!" I said in denial. "I pushed him through the doorway—right under the threshold—at the same time I pushed Artemis! No!"

I desperately looked around, as if that would make him all of a sudden reappear. It didn't.

Butler was gone. Just then, I realized what must've happened. Younger Butler had been incapacitated on the floor of Artemis's room, so he had been blown-up. Butler was gone.

I took the moment of silence to think. How had _I_ survived? A miracle? No. It was something more than a miracle? My life-threatening disease that made me stronger? Yeah, probably so. Maybe this disease wasn't that bad after all...

--

Later that night, after I had gone hunting, the fairies had gone home, and Artemis's parents had gotten a hotel room for us, Artemis and I told Mr. and Mrs. Fowl everything. About how we had met, that I was a vampire, that he and I were _together_.

His parents were stunned, but accepted it in the end. Though, they made us sleep in separate rooms, as any parent would do anyway, so life was still the same, in most ways.

--

**A/N:  
Me: How was that for an ending? I know, it was kind of lame that all of the action happened last second, and I'm sorry, but I took my brother's advice and didn't write the story down before I typed it, so I kept forgetting things. Grr…**

**SF: Okay, I HAVE STARTED WRITING MY POEM!!**

**Me: More caps…?**

**SF: Shut up!**

**Me: **Giggles** Okay. I have one more thing to say: (This is my cheesy ending speech, you don't have to read it.) Thank you to all of my readers, and to Eoin Colfer who, unwillingly, let me borrow his characters for a while to torture and embarrass. xD**

**SF: I'm trying to concentrate here!!**

**Me:**Ignoring SF** and I'd also like to say one thing to ht4eva: YOU ROCK!!! THE TRUFFELS WERE DELICIOUS!! (That's two things, isn't it?) **

**This was the longest chapter yet of 2,078 words!! W00t!**


	18. Fixing some mistakes

**A/N: Okay, guys… this is a chapter that even **_**I**_** wasn't expecting. There have been a few people asking about the story title. It is called Betrayal because, technically (me likes that word), Artemis and Butler betrayed themselves.**

**This chapter is little short story-type things answering your other questions. I hope you guys enjoy and I'm sorry that I was so stupid and clumsy… =)**

**--**

**What happened to Minerva?...**

**[Minerva's POV]**

I ran as fast as I could from the small camp with Sam and my former love. I now hated that boy with all of my heart.

I ran for a long time, until my feet were sore and blistered. Let's see _Sam_ find me now.

I took out my cell phone and called my dad. He would know what to do. He would probably send a plane after me, or something. I really didn't care how he got me out of here, just that he did. And when he did, I would never speak to Artemis Fowl ii ever again.

**--**

**How did Butler find Artemis, Holly, Trouble, and Sam in Opal's hideout-thing?**

**[Butler's POV]**

I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling that something was amiss. I got out of bed and walked to Artemis's room as fast as possible.

When I arrived, I opened his closet door and rummaged through his clothes, until I ran into the wall in the very back. I then kneeled down, my old bones protesting, and looked through a box in the farthest corner. In the box, there was a stash of LEP gear. It was the helmets that I had received during the Fowl Manor Siege.

I dug through the gear until I found the one that Artemis had altered so it would fit me.

I put on the dusty helmet. I had to do this so that I could contact Foaly, to see if he knew where Trouble was. If he knew where Trouble was, he knew where Artemis and Sam were.

"Foaly?" I said into the mouth piece.

"Butler?" said a surprised voice, most likely Foaly's. "How did you—?"

"No time for questions," I interrupted him. "Where are the children?"

"Uh… in India, like they said they would be." Foaly replied.

"I know that. I need to know _where_ in India, though," I pressed.

"The Himalayas," Foaly replied.

"Work with me, will you?!" Worry was starting to get to me. "Where in the Himalayas are they?"

"I'll send you a map." He said.

So he did.

I studied the map carefully, then I printed it out. Really, these helmets were a work of magic.

I asked Foaly how he tracked where the fairies on the surface were, and he replied, "There is a layer tracking spray on the helmet. That is what enables us to find them."

What was 'Tracking Spray'? I set it aside. Probably some weird fairy invention.

I got ready, then headed out towards India on one of the Fowl's planes to save Artemis.

**--**

**A/N: Please tell me if I forgot anything. I didn't write this chapter out, either… =P**


	19. SF's poem

**This is a short poem by me, SF. It's about Opal's descent into insanity. Hence the title...**

**Insanity**

Ah, **insanity**.  
I never thought I would feel so good  
until **death.**

I am not **evil**,  
I am a **revolutionary**.

With me as a **ruler**,  
the world would be  
a better place.

But **no,**  
anyone who wants to change  
the world  
is written off as a  
**monster**.

Fowl **plots**, **steals**, **kills**  
but I am the evil one.  
Thrown in jail,  
**ridiculed**.

The thought of it all  
could drive a pixie  
**mad**.

I can feel myself **slipping**.  
All I want is to be the one that changes  
the world.

Every day feels like just  
another day.

**Trapped**  
in this cage of **sanity**.  
How easy it would be to **slip away**  
into sweet, sweet **insanity**.

I think I will.  
How hard could it be  
to slip into sweet **insanity**?


End file.
